So I have taken home one of our shelter dogs as a temporary foster. She is a little fawn brindle pit bull who is cute as a button. She is only about a year old and is good with Ino (we did crate and rotate for a while and still do aside from short play sessions), aside from her playing too rough. He will not correct her when she gets too rough with him. She will grab his face and hold then he will let his leg go limp and will lay on top of her using his body weight to slow her down. The problem with that is when he puts her on the ground, her teeth slip off him but she still has a good grip and it is leaving marks on him. I do not want him to end up all scarred up from play. How do I teach her to loosen her grip? I've started using a squirt bottle and spray her when she grabs on and holds and it seems to be working but I was wondering if that is a good idea or not. They really like each other and other than that- play is appropriate. There are no toy issues (I'm still restricting toys when they are together for the most part- Ino's old and less interesting toys are all that are out when they are together- new toys are for when they are separated) and they are not fed together- but are offered treats near each other that can be consumed immediately. There has been no spats whatsoever- nothing even close. They both enjoy playing, I just want to find a way to calm it down because they do play pretty rough. I do not know her history as she was a stray. She has met other dogs beside Ino and does great. She is also doing well with my cats, although she has chased a few times so I am careful with that to be sure a prey drive will not kick in- so far, she ignores them aside from them running. She play pounces them so it may be play, but not risking it as I am not looking to keep her. I am trying to find her a home and the only reason I took her was she had been on the euth list for aggression (she growled a bit out of fear and with as many pit bulls as we have that won't get adopted with good temperments, we do not keep ones that will not "show" well) and came around so was taken off, but two days later got sick with URI and was back on the list. I couldn't let her be put down, as she did not have a chance to be seen. She had been in our quarentine section until two days before she got sick. She is going to see our vet on wed. She was on vacation because I am not sure if she is pregnant or having a false pregnancy. Her nipples are getting noticably enlarged and saggy but she does not appear to be getting more round in the abdomen. Just want to be sure, as they will do a spay abort on her if she is or they will get a rescue to pull her. Either way, I am clueless when it comes to prego dogs- I've never had to go through that and honestly, hope never to have to go through it. Ok, I just got off topic big time. If anyone has any suggestions with the rough play, please give them. I am new to the foster thing and I would love to let them out together more- but do not want Ino to end up with a bunch of marks on his face.

I would maybe teach an "enough" cue. Eventually when she hears it, she'll stop what she's doing. I would do it by just saying "enough" when she starts going too far, and then immediately but calmly putting her in a timeout somewhere - her crate or a bathroom or something. Just for 30 seconds or so and then release her. If you do this consistently she will learn what is permissible play and what isn't, and she will also learn the "enough" cue. Just make sure you're not angry or mean when you say it and remove her - just very calm and matter of fact.

"Remember - every time your dog gets somewhere on a tight leash *a fairy dies and it's all your fault.* Think of the fairies." http://www.positivepetzine.com"

I think Liz gave some good advice. Teaching calm play is not very different from teaching a dog to be calm in the house. When they start to get out of control, you simply put them away to "think about it."

As for the possible pregnancy, it can be hard to tell especially if you haven't been exposed to many pregnant or false pregnant females. In a false pregnancy, the nipples will look enlarged and swollen but you won't see extra belly. In a real pregnancy, the dog's abdomen will enlarge and the nipples will not only enlarge but they will be RED.

Thank you guys!! I will start using the command and will calmly bring her to another room. She is calming down with him somewhat. Yesterday she was in bossy mode and she kept waiting on top of the pool steps for him to come up the ladder out of the pool and she would grab his toy on the way out- she managed to "pull him up" and get the toy 2x, then the 3rd and 4th times, she was not as successful and he pulled her in the pool. It was comical. Since it was one of Ino's older toys, he does not mind her grabbing onto it. He may be ok with new toys, but we are not going there. Sometimes he lets out a grumble at the cats if they get close to his new toys (although it is not aggressive- just something he learned from another dog) and I do not want it to spark a spat. She really is a cute little girl. The hard part has been finding someone interested in her. This week we had a severe bite on a young child in the area in which every news station locally came to the shelter to take video of the dog. He was a tie out dog that is intact and he attacked her as she was leaving the home of the dog owner. The dog broke off his collar and went after her. The poor child has several broken bones and a lot of severe wounds. It sucks because all of the video of the dog feeds the "pit bulls are unpredictable" stereotype because since the camera people are only a foot or two away from the dog and he is not on a tie out attached to a tree, he is sitting nicely and wagging at the camera. I am hopeful she is having a false pregnancy. She does not appear to be getting wider- just saggy with an enlarged female part. She also has shown some morning sickness and nesting behavior but I read that can happen with a false as well. She came into the shelter on Nov 29th as a stray, so I'd imagine she would be wider by now but I will bring her to see our vet just in case. A litter of puppies would not be a happy surprise for me!!!

When Robin had her first heat, her nipples and lady parts all got VERY noticeably swollen-- she was around a year old.

Our newer puppy played rough with Robin, leaving scratches, red marks, and rubbing off Robin's fur-- and Robin also didn't correct. I think with the saggy skin and bully nonchalant attitude toward pain, Robin just wasn't interested in bothering with a correction. It's actually getting better relatively on its own, for the most part. But I do have to watch that their play doesn't tip over into a spat. They have on occasion been playing happily with a toy, tugging and chasing, and then suddenly, one doesn't want to play anymore and it gets snarky really quickly. But they are both young dogs, so I think the rough and over the top attitude is coming from both sides in their case.

"In these bodies, we will live; in these bodies we will die.Where you invest your love, you invest your life." --Marcus Mumford

Today was a bit better with the play. I think she is starting to understand that grabbing his face is not appropriate. I am still careful when it gets too hyper, as Ino tends to act more like an old dog than a young one. He is only 3, but being an English Bulldog mix, he does not have the same energy level as her. I mean he can romp with the best of them, but once he tires- he wants to be left alone. He has been good about not getting annoyed with her, but I also tend to crate her after playtime because that is when he is ready to chill and she still wants to go-go-go!! I am glad he is taking to her as he is though. It definitely makes things go much easier. Now I just have to find her a home. I hope I can because I can not keep her (landlord=father and he would not be happy since he almost lost his homeowners insurance over Ino) and I would feel horrible if I had to bring her back to the shelter. I just wish I had more time to take her places and try to get her a home.

Ino wrote:Yesterday she was in bossy mode and she kept waiting on top of the pool steps for him to come up the ladder out of the pool and she would grab his toy on the way out- she managed to "pull him up" and get the toy 2x, then the 3rd and 4th times, she was not as successful and he pulled her in the pool. It was comical.

Didn't get video, but think I took a few pics of her standing up there. Can't get any video of it anytime soon either, as Ino was put on a no swim restriction due to his new skin problems. He is undergoing allergy food trials and since his skin is a bit bad off right now, we were advised no swimming for a while . He is bummed, but we will make the best of it!! They really are hilarious together. I hope I can find her a home soon. I have realized after bringing her to the shelter the other day for a rabies shot that she is not going to "show" well there. She becomes terrified and lets out a fear growl when people come near her since she is on edge. She did that occasionally when I took her home but other than the rare tall male that scared her- she pretty much stopped. She was doing great with new people, but there she was horrified. She has never snapped at anyone- just lets a little grumble and if I reassure her, she melts when they pet her. I have to take her out an about when I am off for a week at the end of the month. I will have the time to take her places. I already got her a cute adopt me vest!!! (pics coming soon- gotta go walk Ino right now then do his new allergy dip, meds and wipes).

Snuggie, now named Marley got adopted last week!!! The family loves her and said she acted like she has lived with them her whole life from the moment she got out of the car. She lives with another female that is a pit bull mix and they get along perfectly!! I am so happy for her. Now I have a new foster dog- a black lab that made me sad seeing her in the shelter. She was very depressed and is covered in yeast. Her stomach, ears, legs chin and butt are a mess. She has almost no hair on her butt.